Buffalo earn point in Columbus

In the team’s first overtime of the season, Jeff Skinner, Jack Eichel and Rasmus Ristolainen took the ice, but were beat out as Artemi Panarin scored 31 seconds in to give the Columbus Blue Jackets a 5-4 victory.

“Great effort to come back” Pominville said following the OT loss. “[It] shows a lot of opportunity. The second period just wasn’t us, we got too far apart from each other. [We] could have been better in the second period.”

Buffalo had an early start in the first period with Kyle Okposo getting his team on the board first at 1:38 with assists from Tage Thompson and Casey Nelson. Columbus got on the scoreboard seven minutes later as Pierre-Luc Dubois netted a goal. Buffalo left the period on a high note, scoring again at 14:11. Jeff Skinner registered his sixth of the season with assists from Eichel and Jake McCabe.

The second period wasn’t so pretty as the Blue Jackets put three more goals up on the board. Panarin was able to get Columbus going at the start of the period, tying the game at two.

That wasn’t the last time Atkinson would be heard of — he scored back-to-back goals at 16:42 and 17:13.

After a great pass behind the net from Eichel, Jason Pominville got Buffalo on the board once again at 2:32 in the third period. The Sabres have been strong on their power plays with four goals in the last two games.

Casey Mittelstadt netted his first goal of the season at 4:30 on the power play, tying the game at four. Buffalo had multiple scoring chances, but Korpisalo played as a brick wall for many of those chances.

Mittelstadt’s first goal on the season. There’s been plenty of goals like this from the #Sabres this year. Scrappy in front of the net – things we haven’t seen in so long! pic.twitter.com/VzdW3So8si

“We weren’t happy with the way we played in the second period. I think Skin[ner] actually hit my stick,” Mittelstadt laughed when asked about his first goal. “If that’s what it takes to get your first then I’ll take it.”

The Sabres (6-4-1) will get a short break before returning to their home ice to take on the Calgary Flames on Tuesday, October 30th at 7 p.m.